Seychelles’ architecture is at once distinctive in its style and practical in its design. It clearly illustrates the influences of its colonial past and combines these with practical considerations such as steep roofs to shoot the rain, wide verandas to make the most of a climate that encourages outdoor living as well as features to make the most of the island breezes.

Traditionally, Seychellois houses featured an outside kitchen so that the spicy aromas of the cuisine did not invade the living space.

Seychelles’ colonial past is seen in the competition between wealthy land and plantation owners to create the most opulent approach to their dwelling, often culminating in stately stairs on four sides.

Originally, many houses would have been roofed with thatch from the coconut plantations but, for practical and novelty reasons, these gave way to corrugated iron sheeting when that became available.

Many of the nation’s smaller houses imitate to a greater or lesser extent these design features with early wooden panelling increasingly giving way to concrete.